Right Angle

For a good part of her career Jeane Maria Day was a map draftsman for the County. She stood at a drafting table with various implements related to her field and one of them was a right angle. Hers was of a study metal construction with a good amount of heft to it. It was but one of the tools of her trade in that day. A straight edge, a compass, these too were in her arsenal as she plotted out new streets and neighborhoods and shopping centers in the earlier days of Orange County.

Some angle of her work, her perspective really, had an influence on me and shaped how I now look at things. You see we all have an influence on the people and things around us. Just as much or more as we ourselves are influenced by those within our own spheres.

Speaking of angles though, we each have a unique one. Whether its our best one when being photographed or our standard one when expressing our opinion, we’ve got an angle. And it’ll involve our own motive, intention, and perspective—that angle of ours.

When I took this photo in my garden my untrained yet not uninfluenced eye sought out a perspective. Looking straight on presented a view of so much honeysuckle greenery that the distinction of any particular leaf was lost. Ahhhh, but getting lower to look upwards provided a blue sky canvas that set off the bit of flowering bougainvillea and the brownish red rose leaves that then became clearly defined.

I also tried looking downward on the same subject by placing myself above it on a step ladder. Hmmm, that was an entirely disappointing view. Funny how looking down at something (or someone) can produce varied perspectives as well. Where people, rather than rose leaves are concerned, looking down is best done with a perspective or lens, if you will, of compassion. Without it, looking downwards on others may easily produce the sadly unpleasant effect of contempt, inferiority, or distain. Funny how effortlessly we can assume that perspective. But work with me here on lowering yourself, positioning yourself lower.

Don’t be afraid of or concerned about going lower. Pause and think about what that means to your spirit when you have a moment to do so. Or race past this. Its your call.

Getting lower to look upwards, heavenwards even can be a very advantageous perspective after all. Perhaps the best right angle indeed.